How to Make Biltong - Planning your box construction

I was originally lucky enough to be given a small Biltong box, back in SA, to start and this kind of moulded my view on what a box should look like.  Fact of the matter is there are several views on how to construct a box and spice the meat etc, as you would expect.

My preferred construction is using plywood as its more robust than other methods such as a cardboard box and is more fit for purpose than using a cabinet from your local B&Q or Ikea.  Fact of the matter it's all about what suits you and how D.I.Y inclined you are (or what friends you can lean on to help you).  Once you have decided, hopefully on the advice provided, you can start sourcing the things you need.  Don't be scared off by this, its worth the effort to find the right tool for the job.  It took me several weeks before I had all the pieces to build my box.

Also think along the lines of what your goals are, how many pieces of Biltong you want to make, how many friends you have that want it, whether you want to create strips and Biltong "chips" or go home industry etc.  This will influence how big your box is and how you construct it (think about hanging space, flat rack\shelves with chicken wire for drying Biltong "chips".

Another cunning plan is to connect a smoking device to the side of the box, this enables you to cold smoke as well as make Biltong.  Keep in mind that any fans should ideally be removable or replaceable as smoke can really destroy components even when the fan is not in operation while smoking!  So don't be daunted by all this but good planning makes for a pleasant result and like me you can admire your handy work every time you see your box :-).